CMS Updates Nursing Home Visitation Guidance

​On March 10, 2022 the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued updated memo QSO-20-39-NH Revised which replaces the term “vaccinated” with “up to date” and updates the visitor screening and quarantine criteria. The term “up to date” means a person has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when eligible. Visitors who have a positive viral test for COVID-19, symptoms of COVID-19, or currently meet the criteria for quarantine should not enter the facility until they meet the criteria used for residents to discontinue transmission-based precautions. Visitors should wear face coverings or masks and physically distance when around other residents or healthcare personnel, regardless of vaccination status. A nursing facility must permit visitation regardless of the visitor’s vaccination status and if the visitor has not had a positive viral test, does not report COVID-19 symptoms or meet the criteria for quarantine.